Jeremie Frimpong arrived at Celtic from Manchester City as a teenager and at that point of time, not many fans would have expected him to become a first-team regular immediately. But that is exactly what happened as he was the first-choice right-back at Parkhead within the space of a few months.
While he established himself as a fan favourite, his stay at Celtic was not very long though. A season-and-a-half later, he ended up joining Bayer Leverkusen.
Still only 20 years of age, he deserves a lot of credit for establishing himself as a first-team regular at one of the biggest clubs in Germany already. And he will be making a return to Parkhead soon, as Bayer Leverkusen face Celtic in the group stage of the Europa League.
Talking about his Parkhead exit, Frimpong has admitted that he was not looking to leave but could not say no when the opportunity to join Bayer Leverkusen came up. As reported by the Daily Record, he said:
"“I was not looking to leave Celtic, when the chance came to join Leverkusen it was not something I was actively looking to do.“I was happy with my teammates, happy with the fans.“The Bundesliga is one of the top three leagues in Europe and when you get that chance it was impossible for me to say no.”"
He also admitted that he was shocked by Neil Lennon’s exit and had positive things to say about the former Celtic manager:
"“When I heard that Neil Lennon had resigned I was shocked.“He is a man who has given everything for the club – but if he thought it was time for fresh ideas then I think him stepping down says everything about his character and how he will always put the club first.”"
Frimpong could have been a great fit in the present Celtic side
One has to feel that Frimpong could have been a good fit in the present Celtic side and the attacking style of football that Ange Postecoglou wants his team to play.
In that regard, Frimpong’s exit might have come a bit early. His dribbling ability, pace and comfort with the ball at his feet could have been perfect right now.
In a short span of time, he managed to make his mark at the club though and was a big part of the 2019/20 Treble winning side. Thus, he will always be fondly remembered by Celtic fans and should get a good reception if or when he takes to the pitch at Parkhead again.